Council tax bills revealed

London's council tax bills will rise next month by an average of £40, an Evening Standard survey reveals today.

An analysis of the budgets proposed by the capital's 33 local authorities shows all are within the Government's guideline of five per cent increases.

The only exception is Ken Livingstone's Greater London Authority, whose share of bills will rise by 5.5 per cent to pay for five extra community police teams for each borough.

The average annual bill for a band-D property will increase from £1,121 to just under £1,161 from April. Of the £40 increase, £13.29 goes to the Mayor.

Richmond has set the highest levy for the fourth year in a row at £1,388, while Westminster and Wandsworth have managed the extraordinary feat of freezing their share of the bills, Wandsworth for the second year in succession.

As a result, Wandsworth (£610) and Westminster (£618) - both Tory-controlled - will have some of the lowest demands in the country.

Only two other London authorities - Kensington and Chelsea and the Corporation of London - set demands under £1,000.

The Standard's findings show how bigger than expected Government grants, and the threat to cap local authorities who exceed the five per cent threshold, have combined to keep a lid on council tax in the run-up to the general election.

Londoners have done better than the rest of the nation. The average rise across the capital is 3.6 per cent compared to four per cent across England. According to research by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, bills will rise by an average £47 across the country to £1,214.

In London, the boroughs of Kingston, Lewisham, Bromley, Sutton, Newham and Waltham Forest have approved the biggest percentage rises. By comparison, Harrow and Hammersmith and Fulham have kept increases to around one per cent. Only Hounslow has failed to draw up final figures.

In Richmond 2,690 householderswho live in the most expensive band-H properties will pay £2,775 a year - London's highest council tax.

A number of boroughs posted the lowest increases in years. Havering said it was setting the smallest rise for a decade, while Islington is in the bottom third of the council tax league table - which it topped only six years ago.

But the figures come amid warnings bills will soar after the general election. Most London homes are expected to jump a band when they are revalued in 2007.

Caroline Spelman, Tory shadow secretary for local government, said bills in England had soared 76 per cent since Labour came to power in 1997.